It's baking time…so this will be the last Cher Scholar post for the year. I feel like 2021 was mostly getting my head back on track after the drama of last year. Hard to believe I've done not one single Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour recap (and I was so close to the end of that series). Well, hopefully next year.
The Cher Christmas tree is up this year with two more dolls. (Had to upgrade to a bigger tree this year). The nativity of boyfriends is back, as well.
It's Christmas so it's time for people wanting to watch Moonstruck again. Here's one last essay from this year's scholarly readings of Moonstruck-think-tanking, "An Honest Contrivance': Opera and Desire in Moonstruck" by Marcia J. Citron.
Citron talks about the movie's tone, "romantic idealism tethered to the magic of the moon" and how the movie's conceit balances so precariously by successfully between realism and maudlinism. She identifies each part of Puccini's La Bohème as a part of the movie's soundtrack, the actual opera scenes, and the ways in which each Puccini theme ties to a character, mostly Ronny. She concludes "the verismo idiom of Bohème…has a stunning impact on the film." She even provides us with a table listing each act, the DVD timestamp, the piece of the score, the location in the plot and whether the musical element is a soundtrack piece or a literal opera performance. "The visit to the Met to see Bohème occupies a central place in the story, and Bohème is foregrounded as ritual through signs, posters, and phonograph recordings…it's use of opera music…performs important meta-level functions for memory, conciousness, and desire."
Cher's character in the film is explored as well: "Loretta Castorini an uncomprehending novice…throughout the film she has been independent and functioned as an individual with her own mind. Film scholars see her as an unusually strong female character in a genre in which women have been subordinate to men…Loretta appears to have internalized the opera-desire connection and made it her own, even though Ronny instigated and controlled the music." (referring to the scene in his apartment when he put a Puccini record on his turntable and then later when he invites her to the opera).
You can check out the essay on JSTOR: https://www.jstor.org/stable/30162938
So recently my friend Natalie asked for a Christmas mix. My personal Christmas mix is on my iPod and quite a few of the songs included on it are not available on Spotify, including all of Cher's Christmas offerings. Searching for them today online reminds me how much Christmas material Cher performed on her various TV shows. Maybe this is why she's not in such a hurry to give us a Christmas album. We're insatiable, Chrismastly speaking.
Years ago I did a brief breakdown of all the Cher Christmas shows.
Here are the elements of those shows:
The 1969 Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour with Cher
Where they started singing "Jingle Bells" that tragically hip way. Look, he surprises her with misletoe. Adorable!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT06CBkTkyM
You can now watch the entire show on Amazon Prime.
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (1972 and 1973) Shows
The ultimate Cher Christmas song is, of course, "O Holy Night." Unforgettable. So much so that there was once a yearly tradition to recreate it on David Letterman. Watch Paul Shaffer yearly rendition (as is tradition).
Sonny & Cher do "Jingle Bells" in 1972.
The 1973 show was a big production of festive.
Cher also did this one both years, I believe: "One Tin Soldier/It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
You can now watch the 1972 show on Amazon Prime.
The 1973 show on Amazon Prime.
Cher, 1975
Cher's opening "White Christmas/We Need a Little Christmas" Medley"
The poinsettia-fest that is "Some Children See Him"
The full cast doing the big finale ("I Love the Winter Weather/ I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm/Let It Snow," "Santa Baby," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Jingle Bells with a Steel Guitar," "Christmas Island," "Christmas in Trinidad," "Silent Night") with Foxx, The Lennon Sisters and The Hudson Brothers.
The full show, (the Redd Foxx as an elf is a funny sketch.)
The Sonny & Cher Show (1976)
The Divorced Show also had a Christmas episode.
The "Jingle Bells" open.
The kooky medley with Bernadette Peters and Captain Kangaroo which has Elijah's first if not an one very early appearance.
Watch the show on Amazon Prime.
In the 1980s we also had a few Christmas appearances:
There's a Christmas party scene in Mermaids.
Cher's only official Christmas recording, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" with Rosie O'Donnell.
Have a Cherry Christmas everybody and stay out of trouble. 😉
Thank you Denise! I was 4 in 1974 but yes, I was Cher scholarin’ back then as much as a four-year old can. Hope you can a very Cher-y Christmas with the variety shows.
What a fabulous blog to find – I see you’ve been active since 1974 – awesome 😎 yes it’s a bit disappointing that Spotify doesn’t. Feature Cher’s Xmas 🎅 renditions – I’ve been watching all the Sonny and Cher shows of late they were simply fabulous- guess you would have to say I’m a fan – thanks for sharing your blog love reading about Cher such an talented and amazingly lady – Xmas greetings to you and if Cher reads this enjoy the festive season and keep safe 🎄
Thank YOU Jay. I am looking forward to getting back into the episodes next year! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you. 🙂
I’m sure you’re glad this year is coming to an end & hopefully COVID won’t begin to rise to the past levels. Thanks for the help in your DVD episodes with Sonny & Cher & I’m glad that I could help with your collection (still on the hunt for more; but process is getting slower). Have a great Christmas & holiday season. Even though we’ve watched them numerous times over the years, planning to watch a few S & C episodes after feasting on Christmas!
Moonstruck is the most perfect little movie. Every scene in the movie belongs there and keeps it
moving along from start to finish. You never get bored.
I watched it about a week ago. I, too, think of it as a Christmas movie.
I am currently watching all the Sonny&Cher movies in order. I had to skip Faithful because its too
expensive to buy from Ebay and the version on Youtube messed up the audio half way through.
Thank you for your comment, Steven. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Your blog was easily one of my favorite reads throughout this dark year and I always look forward to new posts. It’s almost to 100 pages! Thank you for chering your insightful and affectionate Cher musings with the world.